METEOROLOGY — WATER. 71 7 



METEOROLOGY— WATER. 



The Russian Bureau of Agricultural Meteorolog'y. Meteorological criti- 

 cal periods and crop growing. Agricultural forecasting, P. I. Bbounov 

 (Kratldl Oclierk DieuLteVnosti Meteorologwlieskago Biliro za Vremta Ego 

 Suslichestvovmiiia. St. Petersburg, 1910; rev. in- Intemat. Inst. Agr. [Rome], 

 Bui. Bur. Agr. Intel, and Plant Diseases, 1911, No. Jf, pp. 794-796).— This 

 bureau, which was organized in 1896, has accumulated a large amount of data 

 bearing on the relation of meteorological factors to the life of cultivated plants 

 and throwing light especially on the critical period of each plant. This work 

 is prosecuted through a system of agricultural-meteorological stations estab- 

 lished in 1907 throughout Russia in which the action of meteorological factors 

 on the soil, growth of cultivated plants, and the life of domestic animals is 

 studied. The first work of the bureau was published in 1908 and dealt with 

 " the action of meteorological factors on the growth in the chernozem,* or 

 'black soils'" (E. S. R., 23, p. 117). Similar studies have been made with 

 wheat, rye, millet, and corn. Another subject of investigation has been the 

 effect of meteorological factors on the composition of cows' milk in Siberia. 

 A system of forecasts based upon the color of the atmosphere has been success- 

 fully inaugurated. 



The soils of Russl.-i have been classified on the basis of studies of the action 

 of climate on soils. 



An atlas of agricultural meteorology and various other popular publications 

 have been issued. 



Changes in climate since the last glacial period (Die Verdnderungen des 

 Kliinas scit dem Maximum der letzten Eiszeit. Stockholm, 1910, pp. LVIII-{- 

 .'1,59, pis. 5, fig. .'/8). — This is a collection of articles presented at the eleventh 

 International Geological Congress at Stockholm in 1910. 



Monthly Weather Review (Mo. Weather Rev., 39 {1911), Nos. 4, pp. 1,87- 

 GJfS, charts 10; 5, pp. 6-'f9-81Jf, figs. 6, charts 9, maps 2). — In addition to the 

 usual climatological summaries, weather forecasts and warnings for April and 

 May, 1911, river and flood observations, lists of additions to the Weather 

 Bureau library and of recent papers on meteorology and seismology, a con- 

 densed climatological summary, and climatological tables and charts, these 

 numbers contain the following special papers : 



No. 4. — Forests and Floods, by J. W. Smith ; Protection Against Frost, by 

 E. "W. Gruss; Frost in the Grand Valley and Colorado River Siphon, by F. H. 

 Brandenburg; Variability of Frost Injury on Fruit Buds, by Philena F. Homer 

 (see page 742) ; Measuring the Snow Layer in Maple Creek Canyon, by A. H. 

 Thiessen and J. C. Alter ; Notes on the Rivers of the Sacramento and San 

 Joaquin Watersheds during the Month of April, 1911, by N. R. Taylor; Frost 

 Fighting in California Vineyards, by W. E. Bennett; Frost Cartridges, by A. G. 

 McAdie; and biographical note on Jesse H. Robinson, 1843-1911. 



No. 5.— Drought of 1910-1911 in South Carolina, by H. O. Geren ; Tornado 

 Near Howard City, Mich., by C. F. Schneider ; Draining the American Bottoms, 

 by C. J. Root; An Excessive Downpour of Rain at Matagorda, Tex., by B. 

 Bunnemeyer; Where the Snow Lies in Summer (illus.), by J. C. Alter; Orchard 

 Heating, by A. H. Thiessen (see page 743) ; Notes on the Rivers of the Sacra- 

 mento and San Joaquin Watersheds during May, 1911, by N. R. Taylor ; Pro- 

 tection against Frost — Frost Candles, by A. G. McAdie (see page 743) ; Fighting 

 Frost, by J. E. Adamson; Correlation (illus.), by J. W. Smith; and The Trade 

 Winds in Porto Rico, by O. L. Fassig. 



Meteorological observations at the Massachusetts Agricultural Experi- 

 ment Station, J. E. Ostbander and R. N. Hallowell (Massachusetts Sta. 



